A police vehicle blocks the entrance to a cul de sac in South Surrey. A home located on the street has been cordoned off following the arrest of a male in the stabbing death of an as-yet-unidentified victim. (Tracy Holmes photo)

UPDATE: Arrest made in early-morning stabbing death in South Surrey

Police say victim was found just after 3 a.m. and incident is ‘not believed random’

One person is in custody following a stabbing death in South Surrey, however, the identity of the victim is still unknown.

IHIT spokesperson Sgt. Frank Jang confirmed late Friday morning that a male has been arrested after a man was found in the 1700-block of 152 Street just after 3 a.m. suffering from stab wounds.

He succumbed to his injuries.

“We hope to learn his identity soon and, of course, pass that information on to his family,” Jang said at a press conference outside the Surrey RCMP detachment.

Jang said a suspect was tracked by a police-dog unit from the site where the victim was found to a nearby residence. That home is also behind yellow police tape and remains an active crime scene.

Jang said police believe that others may be involved in what happened, and issued a plea to the public – including anyone who was in the area around the time of the incident – for more information.

Jang confirmed investigators do not believe the attack was random.

“But we are still trying to pinpoint what exactly happened.”

A parking lot at the southwest corner of 18 Avenue and 152 Street remained cordoned off with yellow police tape as of 12:30 p.m. Thursday, and access to 18 Avenue remained blocked west of 152 Street to Southmere Crescent. While a white Integrated Homicide Investigation Team tent had been erected in the parking lot’s entranceway – around the victim’s body – earlier in the morning, the temporary structure was dismantled around noon.

The stabbing is the third major police incident on the Semiahmoo Peninsula in the last two weeks. On Aug. 2, Hells Angel member Suminder Grewal was shot and killed in his vehicle while in a Starbucks drive-thru at Southpoint Exchange.

The following Tuesday, Aug. 6, one man was airlifted to hospital after police, responding to a report of a fight, found him stabbed in the 900-block of 160 Street. Two people were later arrested in the Cloverdale area.

Jang said Friday that “right now, there’s nothing to indicate that (the drive-thru shooting and today’s stabbing) are linked, in any way.”

An area resident passing by this morning’s scene told Peace Arch News he woke to sirens at 3:33 a.m. He declined to provide his name, but said the incidents are disconcerting.

“Getting closer to home,” he said. “I don’t really like this.”

Anyone with information that could help investigators is asked to call the IHIT tipline at 1-877-551-4448 or email ihitinfo@rcmp-grc-gc.ca

Evidence markers can be seen in the parking lot where a man succumbed to “grievous injuries” early Thursday. (Tracy Holmes photo)

Surrey RCMP and IHIT investigate at the scene of a stabbing in South Surrey that left one man dead. (Tracy Holmes photo)